Seven members of the New People’s Army (NPA), including a top commander, were killed during a clash with government forces in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on April 27.
According to the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade, troops from the 15th and 47th Infantry Battalions responded swiftly after receiving reports about armed rebel presence in the area.
Military officials said four successive firefights broke out, resulting in the deaths of three women and four men.
Authorities identified two of the fatalities as Jose Sellon, known as “Kumander Kumpol,” and his wife, Mary Jane Magquilat, both residents of Isabela, Negros Occidental.
The Philippine Army confirmed that the casualties were remnants of the dismantled Southwest Front of the NPA.
Lieutenant Colonel Israel Galorio, spokesperson for the Visayas Command, stated in an interview with Bombo Radyo Cebu that local citizens had tipped off authorities, signaling the community’s growing rejection of the insurgents.
Galorio added that the NPA was believed to be planning extortion activities in the region, which prompted intensified military operations.
Authorities said the successful neutralization effort reflects the continued decline of communist insurgent influence in Negros Occidental.